2001 Football

bc at hiram

Beavers regroup for trip to Hiram

September 5, 2001

Following a disappointing 24-13 loss to Marietta College Saturday in the opening game
of the 2001 season, Bluffton College will aim to regroup and improve in all facets
of the game this Saturday as the Beavers travel to Hiram College in Northeast Ohio
(1:00 kickoff).

It will be the first game of the year for Hiram and for new head coach Mike Meyer,
the longtime defensive coordinator for Ohio Northern University. Meyer was hired in
June and takes over a program that finished 3-7 last year, which marks the most wins
at Hiram since 1996. He takes over for Bobby Thomas, who resigned after nine seasons.

Meyer has a solid nucleus of returners back, however, as 31 letterwinners and a senior
class of 21 players aim to keep the Terriers pointed in the right direction. Leading
the list of returners is quarterback Dwayne Pavkovich, a three-year starter who has
thrown for 3,705 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career at Hiram.

BC quarterback Brad Moore will need more help if the Beaver offense plans to pick
up the pace. Last week Moore rushed for a team-high 93 yards and passed for 91 yards
and a touchdown. The rest of the BC rushing attack accounted for just 99 yards and
didn't score. Adam Burgess kicked two field goals (20 and 39 yards) to mark the bright
spot in the special teams.

This marks the fourth straight season that Bluffton and Hiram have met, with BC winning
two of the first three contests, including a 49-14 victory in Salzman Stadium last
season. After a back-and-forth first quarter that ended with the score tied 14-14,
Bluffton went on a 35-0 scoring run to put the game away. The win was the 89th in
the career of BC head coach Carlin Carpenter, which set a new school record. The Beavers
are 2-0 all-time on Hiram's Charles A. Henry Field, with wins coming in 1956 and 1999.

A member of the North Coast Athletic Conference, Hiram is no stranger to tough competition.
Bluffton found that out in 1998 when the Terriers visited Salzman Stadium and handed
BC a 39-24 loss.

Also back for Hiram is senior running back Kris Giebel, who missed all of 200 after
suffering a knee injury during preseaon camp. The third-leading rusher in Hiram history
(2,315 yards) will be joined in the backfield by senior Chuck Davis, who moves back
to offense after a season as a defensive back.

Hiram was picked ninth in the NCAC coaches and media preseason poll. The Terriers
tied for seventh in the league last season with a 2-5 conference record. This is the
104th season of Hiram football.